BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18069, 19 March 1923, Page 7

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

WELLINGTON MEETING) STOCK BREEDING AFFAIRS, [ow.v CORESPONDENT-] WELLINGTON, Saturday. A meeting of the Board "of Agriculture was held on February 28, when the undermentioned matters were the subject of consideration: The President reported that in response to the request of the Franklin A. and P. Society for information about the breeding of farm animals on scientific lines (and especially with reference to the in-breeding of stock) that several members of the Board had collected a mass of information on the methods that had been adopted by the mo3t successful breeders in various parts of the world. The most valuable of these were embodied in letters received by him from the late Mr James Little, one of the first breeders of Corriedales. All this information had been circulated before the meeting. A lengthy discussion on the various systems of breeding animals took place, during which Mr W. D. Hunt, who was present at the invitation of the Board, read a most valuable paper giving the results of his experience. He made special reference to the Mondolian laws and discussed, their bearing on the practical breeding of farm animals. Mr W. Parry also gave much valuable information regarding sheep-breeding. Reference was also made to the very comprehensive Bulletin on the subject published by Professor Pearl, of Maine Agricultural Station, U.S.A., on the “Physiology of Breeding with Special Reference to Dairy Cattle”; the reports of the Cambridge University, and of the Special Joint 'Committee set up by the Highland, Society and the Royal Agricultural Society of Great Britain .to deal with “Research on Animal Breeding.” It was *decided to forward the. information already collected to the Franklin Association, and to obtain the above-mentioned reports with a view to republishing the results in

New Zealand. It was farther resolved to take steps ™ ~ mission to publish Mr Little s letteis. It was agreed that the proposal to make the licensing, branding, or spring.,of unprofitable ammais sov/ was not yet practicable but that- the A. and P. Associations, Ilei Testing and Breed bocmties . ai Dairy Companies should be aS Vy, assist in an .active. against the use of inferxoi uinii . - sires and the discouragement of the sale of cows as milkers when t.hey had been found to be unprofitable. An article by Mr A. R. unfe ' M R C.V.S., on tho question ol the disposal of these animals care * fully considered and appi eciated. Lengthy consideration was. guen to the question of the training 0 )e given at, and of the staff necessary for a Farm School, .which it wu.s hoped the Minister of Aguculliue would lie able to establisn m die North Island when the financial condition of tho Dominion warranted the expenditure.

FERTILISERS AND NAURU. A statement was placed before the Board showing the importations of j Nauru and Ocean Isiand phosphates up to 31st December. 1922. This statement snowed that there had been a progressive increase in importations, and that last year the Dominion imported practically lo pei cent, of the year’s output. The question of County Gounci.s taking a tnoir arttre part m the acb ministration of the. Noxious Weeds Act was the next subject dealt with, the Minister having, expressed a wish to secure an expression of the Board s opinion thereon. A recommendation was framed on the lines of County Councils being enabled to administer the control of noxious weeds. In response to an invitation to be represented at a Conference to be hold at an early date regarding the methods to be adopted in dealing effectively with the increase in deer herds, the Board elected Messrs J. Begg (South Island) and E. D. McLennan (North Island) as its representatives. A further letter was received from Mr A. C. Morton, Ohingaiti, bringing under notice suggested amendments to the Rabbit Nuisance Act. After discussion it w r as decided to reply as follows: —■ . (1) The Eoard concurred. in the suggestion that elections of Trustees should be held on the same day as .County elections. (2) The'Board did not concur in the proposal with respect to differential rating, and (3) The Board is in favour of Boards benig formed from the beginning' on either “Rateable value” or “acreage” basis.

TREATMENT OF DRIFTING SANDS The Director General wrote indicating that the question of the economic treatment of drifting sandhills, as brought up by Mr K. W. Dalrymple, was receiving the attention of the Department. The necessity of giving farmers advice , as to the proper methods to be adopted in farming these lands was stiessed, and it was decided to request the Director-General to arrange for an officer to visit the district for tho purpose of dealing with tins particular aspect of the question. A letter ivas received from the Moa Seed Farm Association, covering newspaper extracts dealing briefly with the operations of the Moa Seed Farm. Mr J. Begg, who is a member of the Association, amplified the information and acquainted the Board very fully with details ot the work being carried out, which was considered very satisfactory.

The opinion ot the Board was solicited concerning an application for permission to import 100 brace of Virginian Quail. It was decided to secure further information before making a definite recommendation on the subject. A letter was received from th/e Register of the Mew Zealand University indicating that the Senate could not agree to the Board’s suggestion that students proceeding to higher education in Agricultural Sciences should be excused from the necessity to include a foreign language in the Matriculation Examination. In view of the fact that the personnel of the Board might undergo some changes as a result of the forthcoming election, the President, Sir James Wilson, took the opportunity of thanking members of the Board, and the Director General of Agriculture, for the assistance they had always given him and for the thorough and capable manner in which they j had dealt with the maany important 'questions which hd come before them. Mr Beg'g, speakSng on behalf of the members of the Board, intimated the pleasure it had been to them to be associated with Sir James Wilson, and expressed their appreciation of the services he had rendered to the Dominion in the important position he held as President of the Board. In conclusion he expressed the hope that those members of the Board who were returned would again have the pleasure of being associated with Sir James. Dr. Reakes returned thanks to the President and the members of the Board for the kindly references to himself, and expressed his appreciation of the assistance which the Board had been to the Department in the handling of the many difficult problems with which it had to deal. Owing to being unavoidably detained in the South Island by important engagements the Minister, to his regret, had been unable to he present at the meeting.